


24 hours

by inksmears



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-28
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-03-19 23:28:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3628257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inksmears/pseuds/inksmears
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One simply does not have a normal relationship when your names are Milla Maxwell and Jude Mathis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. matters of importance [ 18:00 | 6PM ]

**[ 18:00 | 6PM ]**

_"Matters of safety, protection & completion."_

canon: during tales of xillia 2

\------

The moment Jude gained consciousness he instantly wished he hadn’t. He was in a world of pain the very moment he became aware of himself and his surroundings. It was overwhelming and Jude instantly felt vulnerable as a haze of confusion swept over him. In this much pain he didn’t dare move and not being able to move meant he was in worse shape than he thought. Immediately he tried to comb through his memories but there was nothing but blank space. He couldn't figure out how he'd gotten here. 

Met with that dead end Jude next tried to figure out the best way to diagnose himself. What was hurting worse and where? Unfortunately the amount of pain made his brain foggier and clarity of thought slipped from his grasp again. Met with another dead end Jude's next instinct was to be frightened yet determined to sort this out. He dared to move his hand, just a little, as if searching for something to grab or was familiar. He became aware he was lying down on what felt like a very soft bed. His hand made it to the edge to confirm it.

"Hello?" he called weakly, barely audible, and his voice cracked. It felt like he hadn’t used it in awhile. He was so disoriented.

When there was no answer or any indication that anyone was anywhere near by Jude began to feel a little less alarmed. Clearly there wasn't any danger but the continued missing memories and confusion was worrisome. He slowly opened his eyes, wincing as the pain in his right side throbbed. He was greeted by darkness and recognized that he was in a familiar room. Yet the shadows and the moonlight made it all look very alien at the same time.

What the hell had happened?

Then a gentle hand touched his shoulder. "Jude?"

The touch made him flinch away and he nearly struck the offending hand with surprise but the voice was immediately recognizable. Sure enough, he searched and his eyes focused on Leia’s face. She looked worried and yet somehow happy.

Leia leaned away for a second and suddenly a soft light filled the room. Even though it was weak, Jude squinted and then turned his head away from the glow. It made his head ache even more than it already did. Actually his whole body ached and even lying in a bed didn't ease that. However now he could better see where he was. He was in the Sharilton manor. This was the room he often had when they stayed here.

"You’re awake," Leia sighed softly. "Thank goodness."

Jude turned to look at her finally, blinking bleary eyes. "Leia? What---"

"Ugh! Jeez, Jude! Do you have any idea how worried everyone was?! I can't believe you! I hope you're ready for a lecture because I swear--"

Jude groaned and dropped his head back on the pillow, lifting his hand to press his palm against his forehead. His headache was too severe for Leia's angry ranting. Mercifully his reaction made her stop but she continued to huff angrily, "Okay, well, maybe I'll wait until you're better but I bet Milla won't. She's really going to let you have for this you know."

He blinked his eyes open again. "Milla?" Hearing her name seemed to spark something back into his memory. Milla…

Jude sat bolt upright, something he instantly regretted when sharp pain stabbed through his body via his right side. He suppressed a yelp of pain and grimaced. He placed his hand over his side and realized the pain was localized where his ribs were. It didn't hurt enough to be broken… maybe he had bruised it?

Leia gave a frustrated groan. "Hey! Don't do that! You're going to make it worse!"

"Nevermind that, where is Milla? I remember now. She was… Is she okay? What happened?"

Leia gave him an irritated look but the worry in her expression was obvious. After a moment of glaring she relented and sighed, hanging her head. Her fingers needled together in her lap and Jude belatedly realized she was sitting on a chair at his bedside. She must've been taking care of him and he felt guilty he'd made her worry.

"You got hurt pretty badly back there, Jude. Those Exodus goons had those awful weapons…"

As she trailed off Jude could feel the memories slowly seeping back into his mind. He reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Exodus. They'd set some kind of trap… They'd taken it as a task board request--him, Ludger, Elle, Milla, Leia and Alvin. It had been a set up and they had unleashed some version of spyrix weapons none of them had seen before. They had threatened that the weapons had the ability to totally annihilate a spirit by ripping all the mana from it in one shot--the great spirit Maxwell and the Four didn't even have a chance, they said.

"I don't really know if they could have done that," Leia was saying when Jude was dragged out from his thoughts, "but… we didn't want to risk it, right? Milla had no interest in running though. She wanted to destroy the weapons since it was potentially a threat but they fired right at her without any warning."

Jude dropped his hand to wave it at her dismissively. "Yeah. I remember. It's okay."

Leia glanced up, glaring again. "It is _not_ okay! You gave me a heart attack, Jude! You don't even realize how badly you got hurt, do you? You've been asleep for three days! If I hadn't been able to help you, you…" Her voice started to crack and she looked away, trying for retain her anger but starting to fail in the face of how truly worried she'd been.

Jude felt even worse now and he glanced up at her, expression soft and sincere. "I'm sorry, Leia. I didn't mean to make you worry. I promise I'm fine."

She refused to look at him and huffed again, shoulders tensed. "I know that, dummy. Just… I can't believe how reckless you are lately. You threw yourself right in front of that thing..." She might have kept going but her GHS started to buzz in her pocket.

Leia paused to answer it, flipping it open. "Oh, it's Alvin… I guess he and the others are coming back soon. Okay, I should probably tell everyone you're finally awake and that you're okay." She hopped to her feet and paused to give him one last hard stare. "Stay put, okay? Don't you dare get out of bed. You hear me? Don't you dare."

Jude just smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Yeah, sure."

She didn't look convinced but left anyway. Sitting in bed with the pain still throbbing through his body, Jude sighed. Three days… That was way too long to be out of contact with work, for one. For two that probably impeded on some of Ludger's progress too. He could only hope he hadn't been too much of a burden… though from the way Leia made it sound everyone was here in Sharilton waiting for his recovery. He felt bad about that too.

Always one to disobey Leia, Jude crawled painfully out of bed. He had definitely bruised his ribs all right. Thankfully only on one side but it was painful nevertheless. He'd been bandaged up by a doctor from the looks of it. His legs were unsteady too. Three days was too long to not be moving on them. He made his way to where his clothes were folded on a chair and slipped on his shirt, movements slow and painful. His ultimate goal was to find his GHS and call Balan to make sure things were okay at the facility.

The door abruptly opening startled him but Milla walking in stopped any further thoughts or actions. He turned toward her quickly. "Milla! You're okay!"

Milla looked somehow surprised to see him standing there, the expression subtle but noticeable. She took one look at him and frowned, hand on her hip. "You should be in bed."

He scratched the back of his neck. "I'm fine. If I really have been resting for three days then--hey!"

Milla moved briskly forward as he was talking, moving around behind him to push on his back and force him to walk back toward the bed. She forced him to sit back down on it which certainly didn't help his battered body any. He winced but complied least she apply any more force.

"That wasn't a request."

"Milla…"

She crossed her arms and from the look she was giving him Jude realized she was angry. An angry Milla was an intimidating Milla and Jude's shoulders slumped a little.

"I'm sorry… but I'm really glad you're okay," he said after a moment of silence.

"I'm fine and I would've been fine. There was no reason for you to have gotten hurt like this."

"If I hadn't gotten in the way that weapon could've really hurt you."

"There was no reason to believe their claim."

"There wasn't a reason not to believe it either."

Milla narrowed her eyes, clearly unhappy with his attempt to justify his reckless actions, but Jude felt unperturbed. He was feeling stubborn and regardless of whether or not she was mad he didn't regret it. His gaze dropped to his hands now folded in his lap. "I told you before. I don't want to see you get hurt, Milla. If I can prevent that then… I always will."

"I don't want to see you get hurt either."

To that Jude couldn't reply but he glanced up to meet her gaze. Her expression was soft. A frown tugged at her lips but her eyes were full of concern. He felt the familiar weight of guilt on his shoulders. He hadn't wanted to worry her like that but he couldn't take back what he said either. He'd seen her hurt before; once so badly that she'd lost her life. During those times he'd felt like he had lost a part of himself too. He never wanted to feel like that again. Sometimes it was hard enough thinking about when she had to return to the spirit realm. Thinking of her potentially dying again… no, he couldn't stand the thought.

"Don't do something like that again," Milla said in her usual authoritative tone. "Twice is two times too many." 

Her words were again met with silence. This time Jude had to avert his gaze. He couldn't promise that. He'd throw himself in front of a bullet to protect her and that just wasn't going to change. Hearing her sigh Jude suspected she knew that too. She moved and sat down beside him on the bed. Her presence was immediately comforting and even the throbbing pain in his side seemed to dull as all his senses focused on her. She had a very calming effect on his body and mind that he couldn't explain.

"Jude, your life is important. It's important to your friends, your parents and to your mission. It's important to me. If you throw it away so carelessly you won't be doing anyone any good."

Jude hung his head. Leia wasn't kidding when she said Milla was going to let him have it. "I know that. It's not like I'm trying to get myself killed. I just…" He trailed off and felt heat rising in his cheeks in sudden embarrassment. _I just wanted to keep you safe,_ he thought and felt a little foolish. It wasn't like she couldn't take care of herself but that wasn't the reason here. "W-Well… I'll try to be more careful."

Milla remained silent and Jude still felt too embarrassed to look up at her again. Everyone was probably going to lecture him for this one but Milla was the hardest to face. He didn't want to disappoint her. After a few moments sitting in semi-comfortable silence he felt Milla shift and her hands press against his shoulders. He didn't realize what she was doing until he felt himself slip backwards onto the mattress. She hovered over him with a small smile and Jude was sure his face resembled a tomato right about now.

"Um…"

"Get some rest, Jude."

Jude turned his head away slightly, flustered at her close proximity and… maybe also over the fact that he was lying in a bed with her kneeling over him. It looked a little, well…

"R-Right…"

Milla smiled, pleased with his compliance, and leaned forward. He felt her long hair brush against his face and neck and her pleasant scent overwhelmed him for a second. She brushed her lips softly against his forehead. It was a touch so brief Jude believed he might have dreamed it. Then she pulled away and slipped off the bed. He listened to the door shut softly behind her but didn't move. It was such a simple gesture and yet his heart was hammering against his chest and he felt his blush creeping up all the way to his ears now.

Sleep eluded him in the end but in that brief moment he'd felt a strange feeling of being right where he belonged.


	2. a promise [ 10:00 || 10AM ]

**[ 10:00 || 10AM ]**

_Improving personal convictions and resolutions._

canon: during tales of xillia 2

_______

Trigleph had become something of a host to large cultural exchange festivals between the two worlds. It had been slow progress but the efforts of Gaius and Chancellor Marcia had made it a more widely acceptable thing in recent time. The risk of terrorists and other disruption to a festival prompting peace and understand was always a risk and so the heavily armed guards that patrolled these events often gave off something of a sour mood. Regardless Jude found them enjoyable and had started to attend them since the first attempt nearly half a year ago. Now they happened just about every month and every time he attended he felt like he learned something new about Elympion history and culture.

As important as living in Elympios had been to his research jt had become something equally important on a personal level. Jude was half Elympion, after all, and he wanted to make an effort to understand the world his dad had come from. It was important to him and in some ways Jude kept hoping it might help him understand Derrick himself. Their relationship remained rocky as usual although he would have to admit it had gotten a lot better lately. Although that might have a lot to do with Jude being absorbed by his work. He had once invited his dad to come with him but had only been met with the usual "I'm busy." and was left wondering why he had bothered. Jude usually went alone to them anyway.

So when yet another festival rolled into the main square of Trigleph shortly after Milla's return, Jude was quite pleased when she was curious enough to go with him. Of course with Milla going everyone else tagged along too because no one got everyone's enthusiasm going than Milla's enthusiasm. It was a nice change to the somewhat somber atmosphere that had settled over everyone in the wake of the other Milla's death. Even Elle seemed to be enjoying herself, gripping Ludger's hand and smiling at the colorful displays and games.

Eventually their large group split, as would often happen, and Jude was more than okay with spending the rest of the morning with just Milla. The first night she had been back they'd spent all night simply sitting together in quiet conversation. He'd felt so giddy just to share a conversation with her that in that moment nothing else had mattered. He was feeling more or less the same right now wandering through the crowded streets and showing her some of the displays. He taught her what he knew and learned new things with her.

Admittedly it kind of felt like they were on a date but Jude didn't allow himself to think that way. The ever lingering reminder in the back of his mind that this was a temporary reunion kept him away from that line of thought.

Of course for all her interest in the culture there was really only one variety of display she was drawn to.

"Jude! Look! They have all kinds of fruit!"

She grabbed his arm to halt his steps, pointing towards a stand to their left that was selling quite the variety of fruit based food and drinks. She looked incredibly excited and even appeared to be drooling a little. Most people would find that pretty unflattering but Jude just found it endearing.

He allowed her to drag him to it, laughing lightly. "You can find that stuff anywhere in Rieze Maxia. I thought you'd be more interested in Elympion food."

Milla stood before the food stand triumphantly, looking pleased by the selection. "I am. I want that later. What they have here looks delicious."

The selection did look pretty pleasing to the eye and Jude wondered if any of this fruit had been sold by Alvin. The man behind the booth looked pleased by the compliments.

"Okay then… What do you want? I'll buy it for you," Jude offered, smiling at the way her face lit up. He paused and then quickly added, "Only one thing." He had yet to sustain suitable funds to support Milla's eating habits and, given those habits, he probably never would.

Milla crossed her arms, frowning. "Limiting it to one thing will be difficult. This requires careful thought."

"Does it…?" he sighed. He didn't want to stand here all day but who was he to argue when it came to Milla and food.

After a few moments of careful deliberation Milla chose a strawberry based drink which the man said he had created himself. It appeared to be strawberry soda of some sort with a few plump looking strawberries placed in it. Jude was pretty sure this wasn't an original creation but it wasn't particular expensive and she wanted it so he didn't mind.

Cupping it in her hands, Milla drank it from the straw with such a gleeful expression on her face that it made Jude want to buy her ten more. As they left the booth he laughed kindly at her. Her expression was so childish.

"I thought for sure you'd go for the ice cream."

"I tend to enjoy a more subtle sweetness. I'm sure Leia would have picked that option though. Perhaps you should show that exhibit to her."

Jude scratched the back of his neck. "No way. She'd clean them out and my wallet with it."

Milla laughed. As they walked on Jude realized it really felt like nothing had changed at all between them even after a year apart. It was something of a comforting feeling to him.

They found a bench to sit on but by then Milla had finished the drink and was fishing the strawberries out of the cup. Jude suspected they were the reason she had wanted the drink at all as nothing else the booth offered had featured pure fruit. Milla looked happier eating them than she had drinking the contents.

And then suddenly she had one pressed against his lips. "Here, try it. They're quite good."

Jude turned red and jerked away both from surprise and embarrassment. The prospect that Milla just tried to feed him sent conflicting feelings through him. "N-No, that's okay… I'm good."

Milla tilted her head slightly, always perplexed when someone doesn't want food, but shrugged. She popped the strawberry in her mouth instead and Jude had to look away, flustered. Yeah, nothing had really changed at all. Milla and her lack of inhibitions continued to be a real problem although only for him. He sighed. Even so he wouldn't really want her any other way.

That's his last thought before they drift into a moment of comfortable silence. Milla seemed pretty content eating her strawberries although they don't last her long. Jude was meanwhile content to people watch. He kept an eye out for any of their friends as well. It was mid-morning now so there was still plenty of time but Jude was contemplating returning to the lab. Even if he didn't really want the moment to end there was plenty of work to be done.

Jude was broken from his thoughts when he suddenly felt Milla staring at him. He turned his head slightly to look at her. She had a peculiar expression on her face. "What's wrong?"

Instead of getting an answer Milla leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Jude's brain all but short circuited and he was so caught off guard that there was a few seconds where he didn't react at all. Then he jumped, nearly slipping off the bench, and felt himself blushing all the way to the tips of his ears. Suddenly all he could hear was his heart pounding in his ears and he wasn't sure if that was from the shock or the fact that she'd just kissed him. Okay, only on the cheek, but still…

"M-M-Milla?!"

Milla seemed equal parts amused and disappointed, which did nothing to help Jude's nerves. Why did she look disappointed? Was there something about kissing him that was disappointing?

"It's as I thought. Your face doesn't taste like strawberries."

Now alongside his embarrassment was utter confusion. "Wh… What?"

"Perhaps Teepo was incorrect?"

"Teepo…?"

"He said you tasted like strawberries and since he often enjoys attaching himself to your face, I thought perhaps that was the reason."

Jude stared at her and it took him a few more moments to piece together what she was talking about. This was mostly because she had forgotten that it wasn't his face that had tasted like strawberries, according to Teepo, but rather his "enthusiasm". Whatever that meant… Although what had suddenly possessed Milla to try this now of all times was a true mystery but it most likely had to do with her strawberry based drink. Now Jude was even more aware of how in public they were and his embarrassment ran deeper.

"That's… I'm pretty sure he was being fictitious." He'd claimed to have just "been able to tell" at the time so… "But that's, uh… why did you just suddenly think of that?"

Milla smiled. "I thought the strawberry drink I just had was quite good and wouldn't mind a taste of that flavor again."

Somehow Jude turned redder. He was never going to stop blushing at this rate and he had to avert his gaze. Well, it was as he thought after all but hearing her put it like that… "And that was the idea you came up with?" He isn't sure he'll ever understand how her mind works… but he likes that about her. "It sounds like something that happened in one of your books." Her taste in questionable adult novels had not changed at all, apparently.

Milla crossed her arms and frowned. "I remember similar things happening in my books but generally the kissing doesn't occur on the cheek. Instead--"

Jude held up his hands quickly, immediately regretting joking about that. "N-Nevermind! I… don't think I want to know."

Too late. Milla brightened. "Perhaps that spot tastes like strawberries?"

Not knowing what "spot" Milla was even referring to just made this situation way worse and Jude realized no amount of backpedaling was going to save him. He hastily scrambled to his feet. "H-Hey, why don't we just get you something else to eat?"

Time to make a hasty retreat or at least that was the plan before someone was very abruptly standing in his way. Jude stopped short and when he met the eyes of the person before him his own widened. He felt himself freeze in place and suddenly no matter how much he wanted to move his legs wouldn't budge.

"D… Dad?"

Milla stood up as well, now at his side, and looking equally surprised. Indeed there stood Derrick, his usual scowl plain on his face. The only thing out of the ordinary, at least for Jude to see, was that he was wearing more casual clothes. Jude wondered with sinking embarrassment that his dad could have been standing there long enough to overhear some of that conversation. The sheer surprise to be face to face with him, however, cancelled that out for the time being.

"What… are you doing here?" Jude asked slowly. Now the initial surprise gave way to sheer confusion.

"A mere coincidence, I assure you," he replied. He glanced at Milla and if he was surprised to see her again he didn't show it. He did frown with his usual look of disapproval and seeing it directed at Milla just made Jude instantly irritated. His distrust in her was no secret. Even though it was thanks to Milla that Jude had grown up and found strength within himself there was still something about her that his dad clearly did not like.

"Then what do you want?"

"Come with me."

He turned without another word, clearly expecting Jude to just up and follow. Jude scowled at his retreating back. He had half a mind not to. After all, why should he? He could more or less play the conversation in his head and achieve the same results.

He felt Milla's hand touch his shoulder gently, instantly banishing all his irritation for the moment. He glanced at her and she smiled softly. "You should talk to your father, Jude. It looked like he had something to tell you."

He would rather spend time with Milla but the way Derrick had bothered to find him, he doubted it was actually a coincidence… which meant he had come to Elympios to seek him out. Not to mention that, as far as Jude knew, this was the first time he had returned here since the worlds had reunited. The weight of that sunk in a bit and he sighed, resigned.

"Yeah… I guess. Wait for me, okay? I promise I won't be long."

Milla's smile widened a bit. "Of course."

Jude returned the smile and then hurried after his father's retreating back. He noted Derrick had waited for him just on the outskirts of the crowd and as he caught up he began to walk again.

"Are you going to tell me what this is about?" Jude asked.

"Just come with me."

This prompted a sigh but seeing as how he had already made the choice to follow, Jude did just that. He didn't say anything more, caught between curiosity and aggravation that his father still insisted on treating him like a child.

Derrick lead him down a small side street that cut through an alley and then opened up into what had probably once been a park. They weren't very far from the festival at all and yet here in this sprawling open area, now nothing but concrete, stood a graveyard. It was rather small but boasted a shockingly high number of gravestones. From the spacing Jude could tell no one was actually buried here and the stones were simply markers for remembrance rather than to mark an actual grave.

It wasn't what Jude had been expecting at all but he followed silently. Derrick finally paused in front of two tombstones that shared their last name but strangely displayed no first name.

"I came here to see my parents," Derrick finally said, voice a little uncharacteristically quiet. "When I left Elympios they were still alive and that was the last time I saw them."

Jude frowned and a sense of melancholy washed over him as she stood beside his dad at the graves of his grandparents. Jude obviously never knew them nor had he ever known his grandparents on his mother's side either. They had apparently died before he was even born because of a strange illness that had swept the area at the time.

"You wanted to show me this?" Jude asked uncertainty. He felt touched by the gesture that his dad wanted to share this with him but he wasn't sure if he should or not.

"Eventually. Now is as good a time as any."

Jude glanced back toward the nameless tombstones. It was something he had never thought of before, his dad's family before he had become trapped on Rieze Maxia. Surely he must have had friends and family here, waiting for him to come home… Jude almost asked what their names had been but Derrick suddenly spoke again, "The truth is that the other reason I came here today was to see how your work was progressing. Instead I find you playing around with that woman."

Jude's hackles were up in an instant. "What I do on my free time isn't really any of your business."

A year ago Jude would've never said such a brazen thing to his father. Now he doesn't even flinch, giving Derrick a scowl that isn't unlike his own.

His father seemed unfazed, however. "Isn't it? Your relationship with her is the basis of a lot of your theories."

Jude hesitated. The accusation took some of the steam out of him. It was true that he used a lot of that to help further his research but… what was wrong with it? His relationship with Milla was what he wanted for the world. He wanted humans and spirits to find a similar balance where one supported, helped and walked beside the other.

"Your theories are too idealistic and that basis is the underlying cause. You can't base something so important on puppy love."

That stung more than Jude expected but he was decidedly not in the mood for his dad to bully him about this particular topic. "Puppy love?" he echoed, all the annoyance rushing back at once. "What are you actually getting at here? You've already told me you think my theories need more work but why are you bringing up Milla?"

At that question Derrick frowned. He seemed disappointed--as if this was suppose to be obvious. Jude only felt Irritated by it. How was he suppose to know these things if his dad never properly talked to him? No matter how many years went by it was always going to be like this… He watched his dad turn away and hide his face from him, gaze back on the gravestones.

"You shouldn't get involved with her. I told you that before too and yet you didn't listen. If you continue to not listen you're only going to set yourself up for failure."

That wasn't really the explanation Jude expected and after a moment of confusion it suddenly dawned on him what his father was getting at. He felt his cheeks go a little red and he looked away, staring slightly embarrassed at his feet. His feelings for Milla were a pretty open secret among their group but he didn't expect his dad to have picked up on it. Then again if he had read Jude's research maybe it was obvious.

Jude knew being in love with Milla was a problem. It was a problem because of who and what she was. He knew that. Of course he knew it. It was one of those things he tried not to think about but was always there in the back of his mind, nagging at him. Just like her inevitable departure or the prospect that he'd never see her again, the idea that he was in love with the Great Spirit Maxwell weighed on him.

It wasn't regret that caused it to be a problem. Far from it. It was the painful, stabbing sensation that he couldn't be with her the way he wanted. That wasn't the kind of relationship he could ever have with her and yet…

"You can't really choose who you fall in love with, dad," Jude replied quietly. "You'd know that better than anyone."

Derrick had given up all chances of ever going home because he had fallen in love with a Rieze Maxian. He'd left Exodus too all for his mother's sake and, eventually, for Jude's. He had lost all his connections to Elympios including his own parents and whatever other family he had here. The weight of this wasn't lost on Jude and he realized it was that sacrifice that made him worried. Maybe he thought Jude was setting himself up for disappointment and heartbreak if he continued to follow Milla.

However Jude just didn't view it that way.

He shook his head slowly. "It's not like that, dad. I know that no matter what I say you won't really understand but… I use it as the basis for my theories because Milla is important to me. She'll always be important to me. That won't ever change. She wants what I want too and if I'm going to achieve anything it'll be because we're working together." Unconsciously he lifted his hand to touch the bead necklace hidden underneath his shirt. He smiled faintly.

"Without Milla I wouldn't have found my purpose so… even if I'm not with her and even if it's hard… it's what I'm going to do."

His words were met with more silence but Jude was fine with that.

"I'm going back. I don't want to keep Milla waiting."

There was still no reply so Jude took his leave, casting one last glance at this father's back before he left into the crowd of the city. He sighed to himself as he went. Well that had certainly been weird. His father showing up out of the blue, showing him those graves and then brining up Milla like that… He felt a little bad for being so stand-offish in the beginning and it wasn't that he didn't appreciate the concern but his resolve was absolute.

"Jude?"

Jude blinked, startled, and glanced up at Milla now standing before him. She tilted her head slightly, expression quizzical.

He smiled easily. "Sorry about that. I'm back."

"Don't apologize. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, it's fine. Dad left."

Presumably. Jude made a mental note to call him eventually, for better or worse. He felt there was more to say although maybe not right now.

Maybe it was foolish to be in love with a spirit let alone the Great Spirit Maxwell. Maybe he was setting himself up for a lot of pain when the reality of what they were kept them from being together. Maybe he was scared to tell her in words how much she meant to him as a result. All those maybes and more he couldn't even think of right now and yet not an ounce of regret. He saw the logic of his dad's concern and yet there was no force in the world that would change his mind now.

He loved Milla with everything he had and so he would work as hard as he could. He would perfect spyrites and create a world for humans and spirits. Now more than ever did Jude find strength in that resolve. Nothing, not even the difficulties that lay ahead, could change that.

Milla was giving him a somewhat concerned look so he smiled again, reassuringly. "It's okay. Really."

She didn't seem convinced but she nodded. "Very well… Oh! I found another food vendor that looked interesting. I thought there was something there you would like as well."

Jude nodded. "Okay. Lead the way."

So she did and Jude followed right beside her, as always.


End file.
